The Parramatta Eels have announced that eight players and one staff member will leave the club at the conclusion of the 2025 NRL season. As they gear up for their final match against the Newcastle Knights on Sunday, the Eels revealed four new player departures, adding to the four previously confirmed exits.
The earlier announced departures include Dylan Brown (joining Newcastle Knights), Joe Ofahengaue (mid-season move to Leigh Leopards), Bryce Cartwright (retired), and Shaun Lane (retired). Brown’s move to the Knights stands out, with the New Zealand international securing a long-term deal that positions him among the NRL’s highest-paid players.
The newly confirmed departures are hooker Joey Lussick, prop Wiremu Greig, forward Dan Keir, and outside back Haze Dunster. Additionally, head of athletic performance Blair Mills will exit the club. All four players were off-contract at the end of 2025 and were not retained as part of coach Jason Ryles’ extensive rebuild in Sydney’s west.
Dunster, plagued by injuries, recently suffered an Achilles injury that will hinder his 2026 preparations. Since his 2020 debut, he has managed only 19 games due to recurring injuries. Lussick, 29, debuted with Manly in 2017, played in England, and returned to the Eels mid-2023, but his role diminished in 2025 due to the emergence of Ryley Smith and the mid-season arrival of Tallyn Da Silva from Wests Tigers. Greig, a Maori All Stars representative, played 27 games for the Eels since 2021, while Keir, a former Australian Schoolboys talent, appeared in just seven NRL matches.
With no players left off-contract for 2025, the Eels are poised for further roster changes. Ryan Matterson is expected to return from his loan in England for 2026, while Bailey Simonsson, contracted until 2027 but repeatedly seeking a release, was not listed among the departures. Speculation also surrounds Brendan Hands, who is contracted for 2026 but could be moved on due to the strong performances of Smith and Da Silva.